


Future Bright

by EllOnWheels



Series: Drag Me Up From Down Here [19]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Drag Me Up From Down Here, Extremis, Extremis Tony Stark, M/M, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark-centric
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-07
Updated: 2017-03-07
Packaged: 2018-09-30 14:28:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,755
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10164995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EllOnWheels/pseuds/EllOnWheels
Summary: Tony and Vision root out a Spider, Tony ups his dad game, and May Parker is fierce.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So... It's been awhile. I hope my explanation as to why at the end of this will suffice. For now, let's get things cooking again. Sorry if this isn't up to my usual standards. I've been distracted.

_The third thing that I do now when my world caves in,_  
_is I pause, I take a breath, and bow and I let that chapter end._  
_I design my future bright, not by where my life has been._  
_And I try, try, try, try, try again._  
3 Things - Jason Mraz

 

 _"Tony, are you getting the same reports I am?"_ Vision asked. Tony was definitely getting more comfortable with the mental back and forth his A.I. children provided.

"Cops and military tossing Upper Manhattan like a cell at Attica?" Tony asked, scanning the HUD's newsfeed.

 _"The same,"_ Vision replied.

"Yup. Looks like Ross maybe kicked up a Spider-Baby. Let's get a move on," Tony replied. He hadn't wanted to break the sound barrier other than to catch up with Vision, and he didn't want to attract undue attention, but he did signal the armour to kick it up a notch. "But since the kid mostly dresses like civilian, I bet he's hard to track when he's not swinging around."

 _"Most likely,"_ Vision agreed.

"FRIDAY, you got anything on security camera feeds?" Tony asked.

"I do boss, but I feel a bit icky about it," she replied, and brought up a thumbnail in the corner of the HUD opposite her normal readings.

"This is a greater good thing at this point, dear. We don't want him to fall into Ross' hands."

"Here you are then, use it wisely," she replied. A map with the coordinates appeared in Tony's visual and he corrected course to intercept.

"You're the best of us, dear," Tony said. "You got this, V?"

 _"Lock and load, sir?"_ Vision teased.

"Yeah, something like that," Tony replied.

Their first glimpse was nothing more than that. Just a free falling body between sky scrapers, which gave Tony cold memories of 9/11, only to have them swept away when a line caught the body by the arm and it swung, maintaining control despite what must have been an incredible G-force. The arc was graceful and precise, and Tony could see the control, like spiders that used their web as a parasail. This was not Itsy-Bitsy's first web-sling around the city. Tony also saw how the boy's technique would benefit from the locality of skyscrapers as opposed to large trees. There would be fewer obstacles between them. He idly wondered if the kid had been brave enough to attempt Stark Tower yet... But FRIDAY would have informed him of a breach. He would lay money that he'd crawled around on the Baxter Building though.

There were sirens and pockets of military goons around, but no one had a direct sightline on the kid yet. Tony asked FRIDAY for thermal imaging, and managed to track him fairly easily after that. "Would you like to say hello, or shall I?" Tony asked Vision.

"You have the more familiar face, as it were," Vision said aloud, now that their speed had slowed to account for maneuverability. Tony chuckled.

"Okay, here we go," Tony said and made an arc toward the Spider-Lad, while still admiring the physics of how the kid moved. He engaged the repulsors along the body of the armour and further slowed his speed as he brought himself up even with the kid.

"Psst, hey kid," Tony said as quietly as he could in the wind. The kid's focused forward momentum stalled in his shock and his swing was quickly headed toward free fall.

"Holy shit!" the kid hollered as his limbs started to flail wildly.

"Come on, no need for salty language at your age," Tony said. He was about to dive for the boy to catch him, but instead, the Lucha Libre masked teenager shot the polymer out of a gadget on his wrist and changed direction almost faster than Extremis could keep up with. "Dammit," Tony muttered and followed the kid, swallowing the G-force well enough considering he was out of practice in the armour.

"Hey V, let's corral this buckaroo," Tony said. He saw the kid looking back at him and not seeing Vision approach. Tony wished he could see the kid's face as Vision caught him mid-air and held him easily, despite the Spider-Boy's considerable strength. Vision had the benefit of not needing his hands to fly and propelled them up to a rooftop, and Tony followed closely.

"Status of Ross' goons?" Tony asked FRIDAY.

"Closest are six blocks away and headed in the opposite direction. Ross is mobilizing air support though, so we should be less visible ASAP, boss," she replied. "Vision is aware of it."

"Good, let's talk a spider down from its web, shall we?"

"Put me down, Man-Droid! I mean it T-1000! Let me go!" the kid hollered. Tony smirked behind the faceplate as he landed neatly on his feet. Peter had webbed up Vision's feet, and he'd simply phased out of it, while the remains of the webbing clung to Parker's thin-soled running shoes.

"Please calm yourself, Mr. Parker," Vision said as quietly as the kid's racket would allow.

"How do you know?!" Peter shouted again, and then went deathly still. "...I mean, Parker? Parker who? I know no Parkers," Peter resumed wriggling in Vision's hold.

"Cool your jets, Underoos," Tony said. "We're not part of the team that's chasing you."

"Please listen to Mr. Stark. We will not let any harm to come to you," Vision reassured. Peter flexed hard as a last ditch effort at escape.

"How did you find out?" Peter asked, trying to deepen his voice to appear older.

"It wasn't easy. For your age, you're actually pretty subtle when it comes to social media... But there are a surprising number of photo credits at the Daily Bugle for pictures of the Spider-Tot bearing the name P. Parker... When searching for that person, an interesting anomaly comes up. For a well-liked freelance Bugle photographer, you don't have many social media accounts. And to your credit, I didn't find it. My A.I. did, and I had to convince her to tell me." Tony explained. Peter crumpled.

"I was trying to be so careful... But I needed my name on the pictures for the Bugle to pay me," Peter muttered.

"Thing is, you have. For someone with the social handicap of being post Millennial, you have a surprisingly low digital footprint. No Facebook. Even my robot children got Facebook at the first opportunity. That's weird, if you know to look for that," Tony said. The kid hung his head. "But not everyone knows to look for that. The people that are searching for you lived in a world before social media. They have old. And you've used it to your advantage so far... And that works with the average minion who's trying to track down a super-powered kid, but it doesn't fly for Vision and I."

"Dammit," Peter muttered.

"It's okay, Peter," Tony said softly. He was tempted to shed the armour entirely and get close, but his better judgment told him to wait until they had him safely away from Ross. "Okay Spider-Tot, let's talk." The kid finally heaved out a sigh and stilled.

"Will you get him to let me go?"

"Not a chance, kid. Not until we've had a little compliance," Tony said.

"You know who I am. I sort of have to comply with you," Peter replied sullenly.

"No, not really. You don't have to do anything, but we are trying to help you," Tony said.

"How do I know that?" Peter asked suspiciously.

"Because we didn't come after you where you were vulnerable... Because I don't want anyone to suffer at someone else's hands. I've done that scene. Not a fan... And because I don't trust Thaddeus Ross with anything so basic and important as human rights issues," Tony said. Peter's breathing had calmed down and he was quite still. "Let go of him, V, he's listening now."

Vision slowly loosened his grip and floated around to face Peter. "And really kid, jogging pants? You go for a Lucha mask but don't drop twenty bucks on a morph suit?" Tony asked.

"I'm fifteen, my aunt is supporting me on her own, the Bugle was the only place that would pay me for anything like a job would." Peter then clammed up again, as if only realizing in the moment the depth of what he'd revealed.

"We know, Peter," Tony said gently. "That's why we're here... You have given some examples of an extraordinary skillset, but you're still so young... Too young for this, really."

"I'm not, I'm-" Peter started.

"Yes, you are. Really. Trust the old man on this. I know all about being pushed before I was emotionally mature enough to handle things. If you still want to do this as a serious thing, then I'm all for it. The world needs more good in it. But you have to know how first, and I know the people who can teach you to do it without getting yourself ground into a fine paste on the pavement... Are you even wearing a cup under there? Please tell me you're not fighting crime commando," Tony said. The kid let out a puff of laughter and curled in on himself shyly.

"I don't think that's ever stopped you before, Tony," Vision observed wryly. Tony's brow furrowed.

"Suit of armour, V, big difference... Come on man, united front, that's what we're supposed to do. Cap will be so disappointed in us if we don't pull this off... So how about it, kid? Please help me avoid Steve Rogers' puppy dog eyes. I mean, I've suffered torture, and it was a cakewalk compared to hangdog Captain America. It's awful. It's like a bald eagle taking a shit on a fresh apple pie. There will be rending of garments," Tony said and rolled his eyes. The kid laughed again, and Tony grinned.

"I... suppose I could hear you out at least," Peter replied.

"Okay, good. I propose a scholarship of sorts. You come join us up at the Avengers facility, we continue your academic and superhero education there. I think I can buzz you through high school equivalency in a few months, and then we can get you on to things that don't bore the crap out of you."

"I like school," Peter said quietly, "and I can't leave my aunt."

"What does she do?" Tony asked.

"Huh?" Peter asked, suddenly confused.

"What does she do? To support the two of you, I mean," Tony clarified.

"She, uh, she used to be a travel writer. Now she teaches," Peter said.

"I'm about to have a facility full of kids that need educating on things that are not science related. I can handle the science things, but I have a severe lack of people who specialize in things other than that. I could use a teacher on staff. Let's ask her along," Tony reasoned.

"No! ... I mean... she doesn't... She doesn't know what happened to me. That I'm... this." Peter held up his hands and looked at them meaningfully.

"What? That you're an awkward teenage boy? Pretty sure she's got that figured out by now," Tony said.

"No. I... Since my parents died, and then my uncle died, all we've had is each other... I've met some crazy people doing some crazy things, and if it got out who I was, she'd be in danger... I couldn't do that to her. Not after all she gave up to look after me," Peter explained.

"So you would rather go at this clandestinely? You would leave her not knowing if something happened to you? Trust me, as someone who's left people to wonder before, and been left to wonder before, I can assure you that it's always better if the people you love know." Tony let that sink in for a moment. "And really, Peter, where is she going to be safer than surrounded by a couple dozen Avengers?"

"She... I... But people would know, they would find out, and then she would be a target... Mr. Stark, I-"

"You're caught up in a systemic guilt complex that was caused by the death of your uncle, Peter, and you think that her ignorance will protect her. Just because something terrible happened to him doesn't mean it will happen to her. It is also not your fault, no matter how much you try to convince yourself otherwise," Tony said.

"No, you don't understand, I could have stopped it. I knew the guy from before. I let him get away with something. I should have stopped him. I-" Peter said. Tony shed the armour in a second, and got close to the boy. He held out his hands, and then laid them on Peter's shoulders like Rhodey's father had done for him.

"No, Peter. Your uncle was murdered. I... I understand how that feels more than you know. You did not murder him. The man who pulled the trigger, who chose to do what he did, is responsible. Not you. Never you... No matter how extraordinary your circumstances, that will never be your fault," Tony said. Peter's body language softened behind the mask.

"I-" Peter started.

"It is not your fault," Tony said again. He slowly pulled the boy to him. Peter gave a shuddering breath against Tony's chest, and Tony figured he had to be glad of the mask at present. "Now, I need you to step into your aunt's shoes for a moment. As much as you worry about her, trust me, she worries about you more. Could you leave her to not know what's happened to you? What would that do to her, Peter?"

"I don't want that," Peter said softly.

"Then we have to tell her. She deserves to know," Tony murmured. Peter nodded.

"Okay," he agreed.

"Smart Spider-ling," Tony said with a nod. "Come on Underoos, we gotta beat feet before the feds catch wind of us,"

"Underoos?" Peter asked, coming back to himself.

"It's better than Itsy-Bitsy. That was War Machine's effort. Banner wanted to call you Charlotte," Tony let Peter go, and a grin spread across his face.

"Wait, Banner?! You know where he is?"

"All will be revealed, kiddo," Tony promised. "But first we gotta have a long talk with your aunt." Peter's head bowed again.

"She's going to kill me, Mr. Stark," Peter said.

"She really won't... Her entire focus has been keeping you alive and happy for years now."

"Why do we have to tell her?" Peter asked.

"For the same reason you've been keeping your secret. It's for her safety. Ignorance can be bliss, but it's not beneficial or useful. Even if it sucks, the truth is always better.... May has a Facebook page... Looks like she loves you a lot," Tony replied.

"She... She does," Peter admitted.

"And you love her back?" Tony asked.

"Of course I do." Peter's voice was shy and quiet.

"Do you trust her with your life?" Tony asked.

"What?" Peter's confusion showed in his body language behind the mask.

"Do. You. Trust. Her?" Tony repeated his question slowly.

"She's the only family I have left," Peter said, as if that answered the question. Tony waited patiently. "Of course I trust her," he finally said.

"Then you need to trust her with this... You need to explain this. Which, I totally want to be there to support you for. Also, questions, I have so many. Super powers? How? That polymer you're swinging around on? So. Many. Questions," Tony said. The kid's face was obstructed by the mask, but his body was broadcasting a sheepish pride. "But for the moment, do you know who's after you right now?"

"Ross you said, right? The secretary of state."

"Yes, that's the douche of the hour. You realize why I want to keep you away from him?"

"Robert Bruce Banner," the kid said with a surprising amount of reverence. "I looked him up after your talked about him when testifying."

"Oh," Tony said softly, as if just realizing how far his indictment of Ross had carried. If the Spider-Zygote had managed to hear, then it meant his words had had a deep impact on how society viewed Ross.

"I watched as much as I could. Figured I should," Peter said. "So yes, I would like to avoid what happened to Dr. Banner."

"You _are_ a smart kid," Tony said. "Good. That's going to make this a lot easier."

The armour opened up at Tony's thought and he stepped inside of it. "Now, lead on to Queens, Spider-Kid. And stay within visual range of us. We don't want you ending up as Ross' next experiment." Tony's repulsors fired to life and he hovered a few feet in the air.

"All right, keep up if you can," Peter said with a shrug and jumped off the edge of the building without hesitation.

"You gotta hand it to the kid, he's got stones," Tony observed.

"You know, Tony, self-preservation isn't such a bad thing," Vision replied as they made pursuit.

Tony had never had anyone attempt to surf on the armour before, but he laughed his ass off when Peter landed on his back, and stood easily. The kid shouted directions into the wind and leaned into the turns as FRIDAY and Vision kept all of them out of sight of Ross' crews.

Tony kept his eye on the newsfeed on the HUD, but nothing surfaced about him and Vision in the city yet.

The building Peter guided them to was clean, but a little run down. New York and Queens being what they were, there were still people loitering in the hallways despite the late hour. They had landed on the roof and come down the stairwell. Peter had lost the mask, and tucked it into the pocket of his hoodie, and pulled the hood up to cover up his messy hair. Otherwise he was dressed like he was out for a run, which was damn good camouflage in Tony's opinion. Thankfully he pulled his door key out of his sock and not somewhere else.

When they reached Peter's floor, a woman approach immediately, looking concerned at seeing Iron Man, sans helmet, and Vision following Peter off the elevator. "Peter, what's wrong?" she asked in a rush.

"I'm fine, Mrs. Chavez," Peter said with a tired smile. It was a practiced expression that Tony had used often in his own life. "I almost got mugged, but as you can see, had some guardian angels nearby."

"Oh my boy, you are very lucky," she said and mussed his hair. "What are you doing out so late?"

"Library at the university, Mrs. Chavez. They offer free tutoring on certain subjects. I want to make sure I get into a good one," Peter replied.

"You be careful, young man," she said, and then made her way to the elevator to leave, not even giving Tony or Vision a second glance.

"You too, Mrs. Chavez," Peter replied warmly.

"I keep a Colt in my purse, boy. Don't you worry about me," she said, and Tony grinned at her chutzpah.

"How often do you lie to sweet, if savage, old ladies?" Tony razzed as they came to an apartment door.

"Only as often as I need to, Mr. Stark. They're too perceptive for their own good," Peter replied. Tony smirked.

"I had an aunt like that," Tony mused affectionately. Peter opened the door, and immediately the group heard a woman's voice.

"Pete? What's going on? I thought you were in your room!" the woman called from the kitchen. Tony looked at her and his breath caught for a moment. Aunt May was absolutely stunning, even more than her Facebook page showed. Pete flushed and cowered a bit. May came forward, and gently cradled Pete's face, observing the forming black eye.

"I'm okay... I promise," Pete said. "But I need to talk to you."

It was then that May took real notice of Tony and Vision. "Uh yeah, no shit, explain yourself, Peter Parker," she demanded.

"Try not to be too hard on the kid," Tony said.

"He's coming home after I thought he was in bed with two superheroes in tow. His school attendance record has become Swiss cheese, and I am getting calls about fights when he does go. What am I to assume other than he's escalated?" May asked.

"Time out," Tony said, and made the hand gesture for it. "Look, let's drop assumptions for a moment. Hello Mrs. Parker, I'm Tony Stark. It's very nice to make your acquaintance." May stared at Tony's armour covered hand like it was on fire.

"You're gonna have to do better than that," she said and looked at him shrewdly.

"Fair point, totally fair," Tony said, and dropped his hand. He gave her an easy smile. "Do you mind if I take off my work gear here?"

"Sure. I'd offer to hang it up, but I don't have a hanger strong enough," she said. Tony chuckled.

"I think we're going to get along very well, Mrs. Parker," Tony said.

"I reserve my opinion on that. What the hell is going on?" She asked.

"Your nephew has a few extraordinary aptitudes, Mrs. Parker, and I would like to speak to you about scholarship options first of all. I would like Peter placed in an advanced learning program, under the wing of noted scientists and researchers, excel him out of high school, and get him doing work that actually interests and challenges him again." Tony's voice was calm and relaxed. The armour came apart, and he stepped out of it, seemingly unconcerned about only having the nanobot exoskeleton to cover him. May was more astounded by the intricacies of the armour reassembling itself to be much bothered by Tony.

"What kind of aptitudes?" she asked.

"That polymer he's developed is quite extraordinary, and when patented could set Peter up financially for a long time." May still looked unconvinced. "Even without it, he's smart enough to qualify for the September Foundation which is parented by Maria Stark Foundation, if he wants to go the M.I.T. route."

"His grades of late don't show that," May stated.

"Because he's bored, Mrs. Parker, and other reasons which Peter needs to tell you about, which is why we're here." Tony reassured. May sighed heavily.

"Fine, come in, I'll put coffee on," she said, and relented, leading them into the kitchen. Tony liked May immediately. Her ferocity in the face of superheroes reminded him of how Edwin Jarvis had quietly stood up for him to Howard in Tony's youth.

"Can I have coffee?" Peter asked.

"No. You're in class tomorrow bright and early, or I will be creative with my consequences," May said.

"I'm sorry," Peter said earnestly.

"I know, Pete... But the problem is that you're doing things like this anyway, without forethought... And I know it's been so hard since Ben passed, but I need you to talk to me, not sneak out and do things that attract the attention of passing billionaires. It's not a reliable outlet for your emotions," May was frustrated, but she was still able to see the humour in the situation, and Tony thought he might be developing a Potts-like crush on the woman. He hoped he could win her honest friendship. May went for the coffeemaker, and to Tony's delight he found she was a coffee purist, and the brew that she set out to make reminded him of how Anna Jarvis used to make it.

Homes like these were the one place that Tony never really learned how to be at ease in, save for the Rhodes' home. Grand estates, hotels, and country clubs made up his youth, and then student housing and dive bars made up his adolescence, alongside the steady opulence. But this apartment was a home, a real home, with bits of clutter scattered throughout and totems of a loving family proudly displayed, so he perched lightly and somewhat tentatively on the bar stool he was offered.

May was busy with the coffee maker, but Peter stood meekly nearby, knowing full well he was not excused from this situation. Tony knew that if she could raise a respectful teenager in this day and age, that May Parker would be an inherent force to be reckoned with.

"So, Pete, start at the beginning," May said, and turned to face him. Peter didn't shy from her, which said a lot for their relationship.

"You remember how I got the flu after I came home from that field trip to Oscorp's labs?" Peter asked.

"That... was not that long before Ben died," May remembered.

"It... It wasn't the flu. I... There was an incident at the lab. I didn't think it was a big deal at the time. I just got bitten by a spider... But there was something going on with that spider, Aunt May... I don't know what. No idea. But, it... Here, it's just easier to show you," Peter said, and then sighed heavily. He moved from off the wall where he'd been leaning and kicked off his shoes. "Okay, don't freak out."

With effortless grace, Peter climbed the wall on his fingertips and toes, and hung partly on the ceiling. May barely contained her scream. Tony nearly sputtered on his coffee. Forcing himself to swallow, he stared up at Peter with May and Vision in stunned silence for a moment.

"A spider?" Tony asked. "A spider did this to you?"

"That's all I got, Mr. Stark," Peter said and shrugged.

"Peter! Get down! What?" May's mouth was open in wonder.

"It's okay, Aunt May. Really, I'm fine," Peter crawled over the ceiling and then back down on the opposing wall. May rushed over and pulled Peter tightly to her. Peter looked surprised and shy, but wrapped his arms around his aunt. "I swear, I'm okay, just... different."

"Why didn't you say anything?" she asked.

"Because who would believe me?" Peter retorted.

"A simple demonstration would have brought me around, Pete," she said.

"And then who would have been after me? If you're not an Avenger, life is becoming hard for people that are different," Peter replied.

"Don't worry kid, we'll get that sorted," Tony said casually. "This is so cool. A spider? Really? What kind of spider? Was it big? Like Australian big? I understand the spider theme now at least."

"Um, no, the lab techs doing the tour said that it was a lab created hybrid," Peter explained.

"Okay, FRIDAY, I'm going to need you to start some casual corporate espionage, and dig around for just what the hell Oscorp is up to these days. This goes into super soldier research territory. Spider venom capable of mutation was not in their previous quarterly reports," Tony said, and the armour gave a nod.

"Sure, boss, how deep do you want me to go?" FRIDAY asked.

"Be untraceable for now, ghost their systems. I don't want them to know that we know,"

"You got it," she said, and the armour went inert again.

"Who was that?" May asked.

"FRIDAY is one of my darling Artificial Intelligence robot babies," Tony replied. May held Peter more tightly for a moment, and closed her eyes and sighed.

"Not a baby, boss," FRIDAY asserted from the armour.

"Right, Tony Stark," May affirmed to herself. She kissed Peter's forehead.

"Are you mad?" Peter asked.

"Furious," May said. But her voice was warm and she smiled at him. "But now I know what's going on... Pete, I've been so worried about you. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I was scared something would happen to you too," Peter admitted, and it was easy to see the tears forming in his eyes.

"What on earth do you mean?"

"I... I could have stopped the guy who murdered Uncle Ben... Before it happened I mean." Peter buried his face in her shoulder. "I saw him just before committing a mugging, and I didn't stop him. I didn't say anything. By the time I got back to the car to get picked up by Uncle Ben, it was too late... He was... On the sidewalk, and..."

May's mouth pressed into a firm line, and this was where Tony would see what kind of person May Parker really was. "Oh, Pete," she said softly. "No no no." Tony and Vision remained still and quiet, trying to give them some form of privacy. "Pete, you're a kid, Jesus, you can't... You couldn't be expected to predict the future. Ben wouldn't have held you responsible."

"But... Before he died, he and I were talking, and he told me something and it stuck with me, and-"

"Stop for a minute, Pete, please?" May asked. Peter clammed up and nodded. "No matter what he said, unless what happened to you gave you clairvoyance, you couldn't have known, Pete. You just couldn't." Tony decided then and there that May Parker was an amazing person and that he wanted her in the lives of future Avengers... If he could convince her.

"I still feel like it was my fault," Peter said.

"I wish you'd told me that sooner," May replied. "We'll get you a good counselor, okay?"

"I, okay, sure." Peter's voice was soft.

"Forgive my forwardness, but I can help with that," Tony said quietly. May looked over at him.

"Are you attempting to draft my nephew into the Avengers?" she asked suspiciously.

"He's already doing the hero gig. It's how we found out about him in the first place. I am hoping the Avengers can direct him so he can do it safely. Number one is a temporary sabbatical so he can finish his education, and learn to contribute to society if he ever can't do the hero thing anymore. Peter is a burgeoning chemist, and I have access to some of the best tutors in the world. We live in uncertain times, and we're going to need good minds at the ready," Tony said.

"Hero gig?" May asked. Peter crumpled again.

"He's the spider kid that stopped the SUV from hitting the bus," Tony said. Peter nodded sheepishly. May's eyes went wide.

"What the hell, Peter?"

"It's not just crawling up walls, Aunt May, I'm strong now too... Really strong. I don't know how strong yet, but, it's a lot... Friendly neighbourhood Spider-Man..."

"Spider-Lad at best right now," Tony corrected. "I think I have underwear that's older than you are." Peter rolled his eyes and Vision gave the barest of smirks.

"What would this entail?" May asked carefully.

"Bringing him up for training at the Avengers facility upstate... And I would like to offer you a job as well, Mrs. Parker. Peter isn't the only kid out there with powers these days. I want to start offering them safe haven to learn about what they are, and letting them finish their formal educations, all while keeping them out of the hands of the likes of Thaddeus Ross," Tony said. "I need teachers for that. Proper ones, and not just the assortment of mad scientists I have kicking around... I know this is a lot to handle... Way more than anyone should have to handle at 11pm on a school night... But we don't have a lot of time. Ross is in the city, and he is on the lookout for Peter. I don't think he's figured out who Peter is yet, but we have to account for him knowing that soon."

"I'm sorry, Aunt May... I knew this was going to be trouble." Peter said.

"No, Pete, we do what we have to in order to stay together, remember? Tony, this job better have an amazing pension plan," she said.

"The dental benefits alone will make you cry tears of joy, I assure you," Tony said.

"Prove it," May said.

"No co-pay, and if you go with one of the company dentists, the chairs have shiatsu massage, and they have TVs in the ceilings of the exam rooms... You control the remote," Tony said.

"Okay," May replied.

"That's it?" Tony asked.

"For now. You said Secretary of State and the military are after Peter and his... abilities? Seriously Pete, can you do the wall thing again? I need the reality check." Peter extracted himself and jumped to the ceiling and hung upside down. May shook her head. "Yup. There it is... Pete watched a lot of the hearings and your testimony, Mr. Stark... If Ross is after him, then I have to protect him, and that's it." May's voice was steady as she watched Peter crawl his way out to the living room to turn off the television via the ceiling.

"So I am willing to give this a chance, despite being kinda freaked out right now... I know how frightened Pete was by General Ross... And suddenly I understand why. But you have to swear to me that this is in his best interest. That boy is all I got, do you understand? If any harms comes to him, I will end you," May's voice was steady and her gaze was cold. Tony gave her a nod.

"Yes, ma'am," he said. "I would expect no less."

"Good," she replied. "Now if Peter is in immediate danger, I want him out of the city right now. I will clean up here and follow."

"No, Aunt May, I'm not leaving without you," Peter said, poking his head in from the living room.

"I can arrange that both of you leave by Quinjet within two hours. You just need to pack what you need for a few days and I can have a service pack up the rest of the apartment," Tony explained.

"Be serious. Who does that?" May asked.

"Plenty of people if you pay them well enough. They're discreet too. I am not trying to steamroll you here, but at the risk of sounding crass, I'm rich enough that things happen when I say so... With that in mind, please don't worry about the cost and logistics. I just want both of you safely away from Ross. We're working toward having President Ellis reconsider giving Ross the position," Tony's voice was quiet and amiable.

"You think you can do that?" May asked skeptically.

"Me? No, never me personally... But I know James Rhodes. And he does have the president's ear. I can also work leverage from afar given that while I no longer provide weapons, the military cannot function without my proprietary tech in so many areas, it's probably a little silly... And am I above a little blackmail to save lives and people from the kind of torture that Bruce Banner was subjected to? No, ma'am. I am not that proud. I will do what I have to."

"That's vaguely terrifying."

"Yes, but its in your favour, so the best move is to probably go with it for now," Tony said with a shrug. May paused and took a slow sip of her coffee.

"You know, Pete, this is it," she said calmly.

"This is what?" Pete asked worriedly.

"This is what I can't give you... The education you deserve," she said.

"I told you Aunt May, it's fine, there are student loans."

"I know Pete, because you're a good kid, but this could be an amazing opportunity. Tony Stark is standing here, in the weirdest flight suit I have ever seen, offering you a scholarship. I... I am still trying to wrap my head around this," she said.

"I am very sorry for our interruption, Mrs. Parker. I cannot imagine what you are feeling at the moment. But I feel the need to press that General Ross is in the city, and that we need to get you out," Vision said softly. May looked him up and down, and sighed.

"Pack a suitcase, Pete, we'll talk on the way," May said, and made for the bedrooms of the apartment.

"One thing, Peter, do any of your friends know about your arachnid status?" Tony asked.

"No," Peter said, aghast at the idea of putting someone in harm's way.

"Not a best friend? Not a girl you like? Not a bully that was bothering you? Not even by accident?" Tony pressed.

"No, Mr. Stark, really... I... I couldn't play football six months ago, so I shouldn't be able to now... So I don't. I... I've been getting into fights, but I only ever did enough to make them leave me alone," Peter said. Tony gave the boy a thoughtful look and an approving nod.

"Smart, smart, Spider-Lad," he said. "Now go pack a bag."

Tony ushered them down to a Stark Industries driver, and shadowed the vehicle on the drive to Stark Tower from the air. They watched Peter and May enter the doors, safely and unnoticed, and then met them on the hangar level of tower. Pete was wide-eyed and wondering, and May just looked tired.

Tony kept the flight uneventful, piloting himself in order to be able to banter with the local air traffic control. He told them he was picking up supplies to have the team at the ready should the military request the assistance of the Avengers. He even got it out of them that the military was looking for an enhanced. Tony said that he hoped they would be called on if the person was found, and meant it when he said he thought that the Avengers were the best equipped to help someone of that nature. All very nicey nice. Meanwhile, May and Peter sat in the back, shielded by two extra Iron Man armours and various tech to hide their heat signatures.

Once out of that particular air space, May stood tentatively and came over to the cockpit, while Peter poked at various devices with Vision as a chaperone. "You have a hell of a poker face, Stark," she said.

"Thanks... I think?" Tony replied. "I've been known to get the odd one over on a legit KGB trained spy. Those skills have come in handy."

"Does that mean you lied under oath?" May asked.

"No," Tony said firmly but quietly, momentarily meeting her eyes. May scanned his face and hoped that her own ability to judge someone's honesty held. "In that situation, lying would be the worst thing to do. Only the naked truth would win people back to our side."

When they arrived at the facility, Tony felt like he'd brought home refugees. Everyone else was very kind, but May and Peter were still very much in shock at the sudden change in their circumstance. Like Harley before him, Peter was adaptable and took a quick shine to Vision, who seemed to be genuinely amused by the kid's antics and one-liners.

Steve had been there to greet them in the hanger, and Peter had broken his worried demeanor to gush over him. Steve saying "Well, from what I have seen, you're pretty impressive yourself, Mr. Parker," nearly gave the kid a fit of the vapours. Peter had collected himself at May's unimpressed glare.

Tony wanted to hang in and get May and Peter oriented, but Steve stepped in, pecked him on the lips, and murmured that he needed to rest. He assured Tony gently that he, Vision, and Maria would take good care of their new arrivals. "You need to sleep, Tony, Extremis or no. You need to sleep." Tony exhaled a long breath, and leaned into Steve.

"You're right," Tony agreed.

"In this instance, yes. Go get some sleep. They're safe now. FRIDAY can wake you if an emergency comes up, okay?"

"Yeah, sure thing," Tony said. "But I want a goodnight kiss." He grinned at Steve, who leaned in and obliged him easily.

"That work for you?"

"I dunno, I might need to retest this. It seems good, but we can't be too sure." Tony pulled his best puppy dog eyes. Steve smirked. "Oh better yet, double blind study." Tony closed one eye, and then the other. Steve sighed. He wrapped Tony up in his arms, and pressed a butterfly kiss to Tony's nose. Tony grinned and damn near giggled.

"Get some rest, love. You've had a remarkable 24 hours, and now it's time to get some sleep," Steve whispered, and kissed Tony on the mouth.

"I love you," Tony murmured.

"I love you too, now seriously, go to bed," Steve replied.

"Aye, aye, Cap." Tony extricated himself and gave Steve a mock salute. He bad his goodbyes to May and Peter, and headed for his room.

To be continued...

**Author's Note:**

> So, a note on... things... I am very sorry for the inattention I have given this story. The warm response it has gotten has been absolutely stunning. I am in awe of you lovely readers. I want to finish it. I will.
> 
> But I needed to address some things, and it ties in with how this story has indeed helped me as well. As I have been writing Tony getting better, I have realized things that I need to address within myself. I realized that I have a tendency to let people into my life who will take advantage of me, and perhaps that's why I resonate with the character of Tony Stark so much... Now that I have put him in a better headspace, I understand that my own headspace needs some work.
> 
> I have been taking this time to learn about social boundaries, and hopefully start to build healthier relationships. I have made the choice that I will no longer let toxic people like that into my life if I can help it... I have an issue where I cannot cut out some, but I am learning to deal with them.
> 
> As soon as I researched and understood the phenomena of toxic people though, I realized how many people like that have come and gone in my life. Usually I didn't find out until later how fucked up they were, but when I did, I had the good sense to get gone... But I am learning to spot them earlier now. That is a good thing... Low contact and no contact is the best of course, but not entirely feasible given that I live in a small town. I am at odds with seeking professional help, and perhaps I should, but I am frightened of the prospect to be perfectly honest. I have a strong inner resolve and a hard time admitting weakness (which makes me a prime target for narcissists in particular given my tendency toward empathy).
> 
> Anyways, that is what the fuck is going on with me these days. Sorry for dropping this in your lap. I am waiting for my energy to return, and it is slowly, but it will take time. I have the desire to write. I want to write so badly. I used to be able to focus for hours and days at a time, but my trauma stemming from the devaluation from narcissists in particular has definitely gotten in the way. I am soldiering on, and just starting to branch out again from my self-imposed isolation.
> 
> And all this being said, my life is definitely on the upswing. I believe that. My job is great. It's incredible to work for someone who is cognitively normal. I have started to strengthen friendships with those who are healthy to have in my life. I am happier than I have been in years overall. I may have to leave some friends behind, and that kills me inside. But I cannot abide those that surround them. I just can't. It's killing me and all the things I love about me. Because there are plenty of things worth loving about me, and I know that now. Some day soon I hope to believe it as easily as I breathe.
> 
> I am determined to not become bitter or vengeful. That is not the way I do things. I am determined not to give in to explosive anger or pettiness. I just want to live again... perhaps, in a way, for the first time. So I am grateful for your patience and stunned by your kind words of praise when I do post. For a while there, when I started this story, it was so important to hear. I needed to know I could something right for a fucking change. You guys did that for me. And I thank you.


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